Mo. Prosecutor Barred From Cases After Complaint

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) - A county prosecutor in eastern Missouri has been temporarily barred from handling cases following allegations that he acted as a defense attorney for a man accused of speeding.

Attorney General Chris Koster filed court documents Thursday seeking to oust Montgomery County Prosecutor Lee Elliott. A short while later, Circuit Judge Keith Sutherland issued a preliminary order barring Elliott from engaging in any activity as a prosecutor.

Elliott declined to comment when contacted Thursday by The Associated Press. The attorney general's office says Elliott acted as a defense attorney for a man facing a misdemeanor speeding charge on March 7 in Montgomery City municipal court. Koster's office says Missouri law forbids a prosecutor from representing a criminal defendant. Warren County prosecutor Mike Wright has been appointed to handle Montgomery County cases.